Help with Measuring Myself

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usmcpatience
usmcpatience Posts: 168
in Health and Weight Loss
Okay, this might sound really stupid, but I'd like to start adding measurements to my report. I finally went out and bought a measuring tape for it, but I'm hesitant to measure without some instruction first.

It's not that I don't know WHERE my neck, waist, etc are, obviously, but I really want to measure myself in the right spots. For instance, should I measure right at my rib cage? Right above my belly button? At my hips? etc....

Any input or links to something that could help would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks MFP friends! You guys rock!

Replies

  • karamae
    karamae Posts: 136 Member
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    Since my trouble area is my belly, I measure right at my belly button so I am consistent. Other than that, I just try and do that chubbiest part of my thigh, hips etc. Good luck!
  • jbfalldine
    jbfalldine Posts: 2 Member
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    Just be consistent.....if you take your waist at your navel, then always take it there....same goes for any other measurement....Good step, adding circumference measurements. You will SEE the fruit of your labors.
  • RoadDog
    RoadDog Posts: 2,946 Member
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    Damn. Read the title and thought you were extending an invitation to come over and measure you.

    I guess I'm just a "Cup's half full" kinda guy.
  • mandypizzle
    mandypizzle Posts: 633 Member
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    I measure several areas but I am specific on my log where I am measuring. Here is what mine says:

    Left Arm
    Upper waist (right under bra)
    lower waist (right over belly button)
    Hips (right under my belly over the hip bones)
    Right Thigh- 5 inches above knee
    Right Calf

    Pick places you want to measure and make sure it's the same spot every time.
  • BoxingChick
    BoxingChick Posts: 124 Member
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    I have been measuring myself for years and I am not really sure of the way the pros would do it but I always measure at the same place on the first monday after my period. I wear the same bra and measure the fullest part of my breast. I measure at the bellybutton, the fullest part of my hips and I have a freckle on my thigh and I use that as the spot to measure my thigh, and the fullest part of my calf. If you measure at the exact same spot each time you will know if you are losing or not.
  • Aokark
    Aokark Posts: 25
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    Measure the area's where you want to lose fat at. For example, if you are skinny at the ribs but have a pouting belly, you would want to measure your belly.

    Measure where you have the most fat.

    Measure different points... Say you want to measure the belly, you could measure 3 points; Just above the belly where your ribs end, at the center (around the belly button) and at your waist. That would give you a lot of information just by measuring 3 points since you can tell if you're losing a lot at one point, but less at the others, you can change your work-out to burn more fat at the other points.

    Hope what I said makes some sense :)
  • DaveGlasnost
    DaveGlasnost Posts: 146 Member
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    I am wondering about this, too. I took measurements right in the middle of the chest, basically including breasts at the point where I get the biggest reading (not for any chest-thumping purposes, as my body is a mess) but to find a reference point.

    For waist I was kind of tempted to find the thinnest (hah hah hah yea right) spot, but instead went for about where my pants/belt ride.

    For hips I tried to go for the widest point again. As a guy, I found this isn't as pronounced and easy to find as with a curvy woman.

    I also took upper arm measurements, gently flexing and putting the tape on the point giving the biggest reading. Again not for chest-thumping purposes, hence the gentle flexing, else I probably would have strained to eke out a bigger ego-boost measurement (and besides, the reality is I am out of shape and need upper body work, why be dishonest with myself?).

    Not saying the above measurement points are correct, but that is what I did.
  • fantm
    fantm Posts: 87 Member
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    The bootcamp I'm taking has a weigh and measure day at the start and end of each camp. Here are the things they measure:

    Neck
    Chest
    Right arm (bicep area)
    Waist (@ belly button)
    Hips (largest point around butt)
    Upper right leg (under butt)
    Mid right leg
    Mid calf (widest point)

    Sometimes you want to see the number increase, such as the calf and maybe the upper arm. That shows you're building muscle, which we all want to be doing to some degree.

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